Gery J. Chico

Gery J. Chico combines an accomplished background in city government and education, a distinguished law career and a solid background in business. Since April of 2004, Mr. Chico has been a Senior Partner at the Chicago law firm of Chico & Nunes, P.C. He has practiced law and represented leading companies in Chicago and the nation over the past 25 years and has held numerous public service posts. Mr. Chico was appointed Chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education by Governor Pat Quinn in June 2011 and his term will expire in January 2015.

Mr. Chico served as Chief of Staff to Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley from 1992 through 1995. Prior to that he was Deputy Chief of Staff for the Mayor. In 1995, Mayor Daley appointed Mr. Chico President of the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Public Schools, the nation’s third largest school system. Mayor Daley reappointed Mr. Chico for a second term in 1999.

In March, 2010, Mayor Daley appointed Mr. Chico to the Board of Trustees of the City Colleges of Chicago and he was elected as its Chairman. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Chico served as President of the Board of Commissioners of the Chicago Park District beginning in October, 2007. Mr. Chico also served as a Commissioner of the Public Building Commission of Chicago.

Mr. Chico has received many awards and honors over his career including: Person of the Year Award by the Latin-American Police Association; President’s Award by the National Association of Hispanic Publishers; University of Illinois Alumni Achievement Award; Distinguished Award for Excellence by the Illinois Bar Foundation; Citizen of the Year by the City Club of Chicago; Outstanding School Board President by the Illinois State Board of Education; Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Outstanding Public Service; Champion of the Public Interest by the Business and Professional People for the Public Interest; and Chicagoan of the Year by Chicago Magazine.

Mr. Chico has been a member of the Board of Directors of numerous organizations and was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court as member of the committee overseeing the Judicial Performance Evaluation Program. Mr. Chico was one of the founders of the Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce (now the 1400 member Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce), and he remains active in many other professional, civic and charitable organizations.